


Skinship

by Mestia



Series: K-STORY AU [1]
Category: MapleStory
Genre: Alternate Universe - Idols, Alternate Universe - KPOP Idols, M/M, Sleepy Cuddles, this is just............fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-09-01
Packaged: 2020-10-04 23:16:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20479079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mestia/pseuds/Mestia
Summary: “Is this really okay?”“What is?”“This,” he says, brushing his hand over the arm Phantom wrapped around him. “This kind of thing. Skinship. There are no fans around here.”“And?”Phantom, Alpha, and skinship after hours.





	Skinship

**Author's Note:**

  * For [satsuha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/satsuha/gifts).

> i had this WIP for 2 YEARS and mikan apparently needed some closure.....
> 
> ship alphan today! please i'm fuckin begging

It had been one _ exhausting _ day.

Phantom thinks they deserve a day off. That’s fantasy talk for a celebrity, he knows that, but still, it couldn’t hurt to dream of a day that would never arrive.

His muscles and joints were sore from over-exertion. The blonde likes to think that he was _ actually fit _ , considering he was an idol and all - with dance practices and images to keep - but he could probably never get used to a schedule filled to the brim. Usually, their company actually gave them time to breathe for a couple of hours to themselves - and that was them being merciful - but this time, they were on the move _ nonstop _ . From magazine photoshoots, variety show recordings, _ reality _ tv show recordings; he really thought he’d never see the end of the schedule. It was only out of pity their manager had moved their concert rehearsal practice for tomorrow - and they’d still have to wake up early.

_ Well, if we’re talking one-way trips into the hospital, this certainly smells like it_, he thought sarcastically, putting aside tomorrow’s schedule. _ At least I can sue when I end up in a ward wearing an ugly gown. Lawsuits are almost the new trend. _

“Are you done with the lamp yet? If you hadn’t realized, it’s eleven. I’d honestly like to get some sleep before I end up dead tomorrow.” 

His train of thought snapped when a groggy voice called him out. Glancing to his right, he saw his roommate curled under the covers, his glasses on the side table. Even though the other blonde was facing away, he could still vividly imagine the scowl he was wearing.

“Sorry to keep you up, Sleeping Beauty,” he chuckled as he flipped the switch off.

Rather than slipping into his own bed which was conveniently laid out for him, he lifted the covers belonging to Alpha’s bed and slipped under. Phantom shifted closer towards him, wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him closer. Snuggling his head against the nape of his neck, he took a soothing breath. Alpha didn’t seem to budge.

If there was one virtue upon a killer schedule, it was that he would be greeted a vulnerable Alpha that he could mess with. 

“Do you want to die that badly?”

“Try it. I doubt you’ll last a punch with the muscle pain you got there, sweetie.”

A resigned sigh. Phantom grinned in victory. 

They shared a silence. Alpha was remarkably calm that night, considering he hadn’t mustered up some form of strength to jab the other with his elbow and shove him off the bed like other nights. The variety show dance numbers must’ve done a number on him, plus having to act fit in their reality tv show did another. 

(It was a little boring, if he was honest. But he had the feeling nobody would be in the mood that night anyway.)

To his surprise, he felt Alpha shift, before feeling a pair of arms over his own. No pain entered his stomach, nor was there any disruption in their breathing rhythm. He felt a bit of his drowsiness dissipate with the motion.

“Hey, you still up?”

“Which one of us again wanted to sleep early because we get up at four tomorrow?”

“Shut it. I know you wouldn’t have slept instantly anyway.”

“Wow, even a guy like me can get tired too, honey.”

Even though it was their usual banter, he couldn’t help but notice the softness in his voice. There was none of the usual bite he had. No curse words, no insults - Phantom was a little bit bewildered. His touch was surprisingly ginger and light as well. 

It was a bit concerning. No matter the amount of work they had, Alpha _ should _still have the feistiness he always had. 

“What’s wrong?”

He felt him flinch. _ Yeah_, there was something up.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing is _ something_, Alpha-ya. Plus, I’m literally cuddling you. You can’t hide it from me at this proximity.”

The leader was met with an awkward silence. His body had stiffened for a second, before he relaxed and sunk deeper into his pillow. 

“Is this really okay?”

“What is?”

“_This_,” he says, brushing his hand over the arm Phantom wrapped around him. “This kind of thing. _ Skinship_. There are no fans around here.” 

“And?”

His simple answer must’ve frustrated the other blonde, because the other roughly shifted spontaneously around to face him so quickly Phantom would’ve been crushed under his weight if he hadn’t seen it coming. Though, the quick motion was apparently enough to send them both wincing in pain as Alpha did a little grimace. 

“Don’t you get it? No fans are here. You don’t have to keep acting attracted to me,” he replied hoarsely, now facing him face to face. The leader could feel the warmth of his breath against his face, and he could feel his eyes on him despite the darkness. “This...this kind of thing- _cuddling. _ All that _ romantic _ stuff. You don’t have to do it whenever the fans aren’t around.”

That only brought him into more confusion. “Why?”

“Wha- what do you mean why? Isn’t this weird?” his voice cracked a bit. “I know we’re paid to do it for the obnoxious shippy fans to have some sort of pleasure in their lives, but none of them are around right now. Why do you keep doing this? Don’t you know that this stuff makes me feel-”

He cut himself off by putting a hand over his mouth, making a little squeak at his voice crack. 

Normally, the motion would have been adorable enough that Phantom would’ve immediately followed with a teasing remark, but something inside of him feels a shift inside of him. Could have been the effect of the day’s work out, but he felt warm at the sight. 

He hadn’t actually thought about it all that much. It was true that the two of them have actually been in their own game of cat and dog with some degree of bite (especially from when they had first met as _ trainees; _it was almost instinct) but Phantom hadn’t really thought about when exactly had their relationship had changed. 

Thinking back, he still remembers the day the whole game of pretend had started.

_ “Shipping is a marketing tactic especially amongst boy groups,” the executive had told them one day in the office. “We will market you two together as a brand under the term ‘Alphan’, so you two need to act intimate in front of the camera.” _

He could still remember the absolute disdain that ran through his blood, and he could also remember the disgust plastered all over Alpha’s features as they both tried to argue out of the deal to no avail. 

Perhaps it was around then, when the first time they both had to put on their masks as idols and instigate close proximity and forced skinship when he had begun to feel something different; because now every display of intimacy felt _ right, _ with each touch feeling all too natural, too _ real _.

And so, while his eyes were straining to get a good look at the rubies he was used to always gazing into on stage, he finds his answer so easily as he lifts his own hand to gently remove Alpha’s from his lips. 

“Finish your sentence,” he said quietly, grinning, “How does it make you feel?”

“Are you messing with me?” Alpha starts, but Phantom doesn’t let him. He shifts underneath the covers and wraps an arm around the other’s waist, feeling him stiffen. 

“If I told you I didn’t do this because of the cameras and fans,” he whispers, leaning over to press their foreheads together, “How would it feel, then?”

There is a long beat before neither of them really move, but if Phantom was reading it right, he feels Alpha settle against him. He softly exhales a breath and for the briefest moment, Phantom swears he could have seen him smile. 

“This really better not be a joke, because I’ll _ seriously _ kill you if it is,” Alpha says after a while, “But if you must know, it fucks me up.”

“Believe me, it really isn’t,” Phantom chuckles, briefly lifting his arm to pull the sheets over them. “And also, I’m flattered to know I have that sort of effect on you, sweetheart.”

“I take it back. I’ll kill you regardless.”

They both shift a little bit to get into a much more comfortable position, and settle with tangled legs and Alpha’s head tucked against the crook of Phantom’s neck. “We will have to keep the fact that it isn’t all fake under wraps though,” Alpha says with a yawn, nuzzling his nose against his skin, “Scandals aren’t fun.” 

“No worries, we’re splendid actors,” Phantom murmurs as he closes his eyes. “One last thing.” 

“What?”

“A little late, but, I love you.”

“....Me too. I love you too.”


End file.
